Semi-automatic gravity toy.



J. C. TURNER.

SEMI-AUTOMATIC GRAVITY TOY.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.29.1917.

Patented Jan. 7, I919 18 :5 .H 4a 45 49 I 44 it STATES PATEN OFFICE- .i'orrn o. 'rUnnEn, or DAYTON, OHIO, assrenon To THE JOHN O. TURNER NOVELTY 00.,

OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

SEMI-AUTOMATIC GRAVITY TOY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. '7', 1919.

Application filed. March 29, 1917. Serial No. 158,181.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN C. TURNER, a citizen of the United States, and residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomeryand State of Ohio, have invented a new and Improved Semi-Automatic Gravity Toy, of which the following specification is a full disclosure.

This invention relates to toysand it proposes a semi-automatic railway embody ng a station house, track, and car. An ob ect is to provide a toy of this description which will simulate the running of a car into a station, a brief pause therein, and then a continuance beyond the station. Thls 1s achieved automatically so that the mechanism will perform through one complete cycle unaided, thereby giving the pleasing effect of an actual railway.

This invention furthermore proposes a very simple, cheap and effective construction especially adapted for toys requiring to be made of sheet metal.

Other objects will be in part obvious from the annexed drawings and in part indicated in connection therewith by the following analysis of this invention.

This invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of parts and in the unique relations of the members and in the relative proportioning and disposition thereof; all as more completely outlined herein.

To enable others skilled in the art so fully to comprehend the underlying features thereof that they may embody the same by the numerous modifications in structure and relation contemplated by this invention, drawings depicting a preferred form have been annexed as a part of this disclosure, and in such drawings, like characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout all the views, of which Figure 1, is a vertical section of a station house embodying this invention showing the car elevator depressed, and Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the elevator uplifted.

Continuing now by way of a more detailed explanation, A denotes a station house combined with a helical track 13, the lower end of which enters the station house at the right, and the upper end of which leaves the station house at the left. G is a gravity car which can be discharged from the station house unto the upper end of the track so that it may ride downwardly around the same under the force of gravity and ultimately enter the opposite side of the station house. Within the station house is an automatic instrumentality for elevating the car again and starting it once more on its voyage.

The station house consists of a box-like portion formed .of end walls 18 and 19 and side walls 21 which may be ornamented with imitation windows or the like. These walls uprise from a suitable base 17 which may be made heavier of cast metal if desired, the rest of the construction being preferably made entirely of sheet metal. The lower end of the track is secured by the lug 16 in registry with a suitable opening in the wall 19 which will permit the car to enter the same.

Q Within the station house is a track section 81 in the nature of an elevator D; said track section being provided with a stirrup 32 in the form of an open rectangle having upper and lower cross bars which are perforated and slide on the vertical guide rods 35 which in turn are fastened at their lower ends to the base 17 and at their upper ends extend through a cross bar 25 extending between the walls 21 of the house A. The upper cross bar of the stirrup 32 is provided with an elongated slot so as to permit the elevator D to tilt automatically under the weight of the car 0 from the horizontal position shown in Fig. 1, to the inclined elevated position shown in Fig. 2; the reason for this inclination being to start the car 0 under the upper end of the inclined track 13. This construction closely conforms to that detail in m copending case Serial No. 158,180, filed March 29th, 1917.

The means for semiautomatically operating the elevator will now be described. The elevator normally rests on the base 17; being positioned by the lugs 32 in alinement with the track 13. The car runs down the track 13 unto the track section 31 of the elevator and passes unto the left hand end thereof and hits an arm 43 at the point 42 and moves it against the spring 47. This arm is connected to a rock shaft 44 which it therefore turns, thereby swinging a trip lever 45 from the position shown in Fig. l to the position shown in Fig. 2, and weight 48 normally rests on the lip 46 of the arm 45 but when released it will descend thereby pulling down the cords 55 and 56 which ride over the pulleys 51 and 52 carried by the cross piece 50. In descending the weight pulls the cord 56 in the direction shown by the arrow and this cord rides over the pulley 53 carried by the cross piece 25 and, as it is connected at its other end to the stirrup 32, it will pull up the same and lift the elevator D into the raised inclined position shown by Fig. 2. The elevator rises until the stirrup 32 is arrested by the crossbar 25 and this bringsthe track section 31 into registry with the upper left hand end of the track 13. The car C now leaves the station house and in the meantime the child will restore the. elevator to its lower position by pulling on the ring 39 of the cord 55 which extends over the pulleys 37, 54 and 51 and connects with the weight to uplift the same. This weight is preferably guided by the guide rod 49. i

The roof 22 will preferably be detachable from the body of the station to provide convenient access to the operating elements as by mountingthe cross bars 23 on the cross bars 24.

'Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of this invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting certain features that,

from the standpoint of the rior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the track-section in said station house; an 010- vator' adapted to shift said track-section into registry with the ends of the helical trackway; a weight in said station house connected with said elevator; a trip mechanism adapted to be released by the operation of a car to enable said weight to descend and uplift said elevator; and a pull cord adapted to be manually operated to raise said weight and restore said elevator to its lower position.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name, as attested bythe two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN C. TURNER.

Witnesses B. 000KB, N. SCHWARTZ.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

, I Washington, D. 0. l 

